One of the most basic necessities of life is nourishment; and yet, many people do not give much thought to the planning and preparation of their meals, especially if they frequent restaurants or diners and eat “out” most of the time. Others, however, are intimately familiar with the trappings of the modern—or not so modern—kitchen, and have accumulated a vast knowledge of recipes, cooking skills, safe food preparation, and other associated kitchen/cooking skills that are needed to make dining a nourishing and safe experience.
Considering even the first group of people, many, if not most, can boil water to make their tea or coffee in the morning. While it is generally easy to do this with any pot or pan, most people are familiar with tea kettles and the familiar whistle that occurs when a sufficient amount of energy has been transferred to the water to boil it, producing steam. The familiar, even familial, sound of the kettle alerts the user that the water is ready and can be used to make the tea, coffee, instant oatmeal, or whatever else requires boiled water.
However, it is also the case that larger quantities of water need to be boiled, sometimes with the food in it (e.g., pasta, potatoes, and so on), upon which it would be desirable to be alerted to the condition of the water reaching a boiling stage. Timers can be used, but that is a relatively inaccurate procedure unless the person cooking is quite familiar with the physics involved, and the exact measurements (altitude, quantity of water, and amount of applied heat are just a few of the factors involved). Thus, most people simply resign to the fact that they must wait by, and watch carefully for the pot that contains their food to begin boiling to begin the next step of the cooking process. If they are distracted, or have other things to do, the pot can “boil over,” meaning that the water, and its contents, are being spilled from the pot onto the top of the stove. Practically anyone who has cooked spaghetti can attest to this occurrence. Usually, it's not a significant problem, but if other ingredients are present in the boiled water, it can create quite a mess. In addition to the “boil-over” scenario, which while inconvenient, is not particularly hazardous, a more ominous event can occur if someone puts a lid on the pot, then walks away, and is distracted. If enough time passes, the liquid can boil away, and heat can build up in the pot and lid to the point that it becomes a fire/safety hazard. If enough time passes, the entire pot and lid can glow red from heat, and cause combustion to occur in nearby items, leading to a catastrophic situation.
However, while there are some known devices that can alert people to the condition of water boiling in pots, each of these include shortcomings that prevent widespread use and acceptance.
Thus, while attempts have been made to correct the problem of not having a means for alerting a person that a pot with boiling liquid therein has reached the boiling stage, there are certain problems and deficiencies with all of the prior art devices for creating a whistling lid for a pot. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide methods, modes and systems for a safe, but effective lid for a pot that alerts the user that the liquid contained therein has achieved a state of boiling.